1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for dispensing flexible objects one at a time. Specifically, the apparatus and method dispenses newspapers, magazines and other periodicals one at a time in order to conserve paper and operate more efficiently.
2. Prior Art
Newspaper dispensing machines have been in existence for many years. Many persons rely upon these rather than daily delivery to their doors in order to obtain a newspaper. Although there are a variety of designs for these newspaper dispensing machines, they all operate on the same basic principle.
A person desiring a newspaper places the required amount of change into a slot in the newspaper machine. A door is then automatically unlocked. The operator then opens the door and grabs the newspaper on top of a stack within the device. This design allows an operator to grab as many newspapers as he or she desires while only paying for a single one. Newspaper companies have always relied on the honor system to deter persons from taking more than one newspaper. Unfortunately, the honor system is not always effective. Often a person will take two or more newspapers to share with others. In addition, teenage children often pay for a single newspaper and take the entire stack of newspapers for use in scurrilous activities, such as spreading them across a person's lawn. This same problem exists with similar devices designed to distribute magazines, pamphlets and other flexible objects such as various periodicals.
It is therefore desirable to provide an apparatus and method for dispensing a single newspaper or other periodical one at a time and not allowing the operator access to all the newspapers or periodicals within the dispensing device.